News Releases

Students from 24 Countries Join The UWI St. Augustine’s Newest Cohort

For Release Upon Receipt - September 23, 2026

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago – September 23, 2026 – Students from 24 countries have joined The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St. Augustine Campus, bringing the customary and distinctly international dimension to its newest cohort as the Campus formally welcomed its new students at the 2026 Matriculation and Welcome Ceremony on Friday, September 18 at the Sport and Physical Education Centre (UWI SPEC).

The incoming students represent the international character of The UWI, with students joining the St. Augustine Campus from countries across the Caribbean and beyond including Barbados, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Guyana, Cuba, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Pakistan, India, China, Nigeria and Venezuela. They now begin their studies as members of a university community rooted in the Caribbean but connected to an increasingly global student body.

Held under the theme “Pelicans Get Ready to Soar,” the ceremony marked the students’ formal entry into The UWI and introduced them to traditions that connect generations of UWI students through scholarship, service and a shared responsibility to contribute to society.

Welcoming the newest members of the St. Augustine family, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine encouraged students to view their university education not simply as preparation for successful careers, but as an opportunity to make meaningful contributions to society.

“A UWI degree will not only prepare you to enter the world, but to shape it and shape it for the better,” Professor Antoine said.

Against the backdrop of challenges facing the next generation, including the climate emergency, poverty and inequality, food security, economic pressures and the rapid development of artificial intelligence, she challenged the incoming cohort to look beyond the qualifications they will earn and consider the problems they can solve, the innovations they can create and the ways their knowledge can serve their communities and the wider world.

Professor Antoine urged the new students to build on The UWI’s legacy while bringing their own ideas, talents and perspectives to the University community.

Campus Registrar Dr. Dawn-Marie De Four-Gill, who chaired the ceremony, described matriculation as the students’ formal entry into a community of scholars and a connection between The UWI’s legacy and its future. Her message to the new students was also a simple but important one: “You Belong.”

The ceremonial tradition was symbolised through the signing of the Matriculation Register by Joshua Sampath, the 2026 Top Matriculant who represented the incoming cohort.

A graduate of Presentation College, San Fernando, Sampath developed a passion for Mathematics and Physics and mentored more than 10 students through his school’s Big Brother Programme. He will pursue Electrical and Computer Engineering at The UWI, with aspirations of contributing to Trinidad and Tobago’s technology sector and developing innovative solutions for a sustainable future.

The programme also featured the Taking of the Academic Vow, led by Guild President Joshua Jitta, and the Candle Lighting Ceremony, during which Professor Antoine and Guild Vice-President Ryan Duncan jointly lit the candle as representatives of Campus Administration and the student body. The ceremony concluded with the new students joining The UWI Arts Chorale in singing The University Song.

As the newest Pelicans begin their university experience, Professor Antoine left them with a challenge to take ownership of what they build during their time at St. Augustine:

“What you build with them, how high you soar, and the difference you make is now yours to decide. So to you, our newest Pelicans, get ready to soar.”

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Photo Captions 

Photo 1: New students and members of The UWI St. Augustine Campus community gather at the UWI Sport and Physical Education Centre (SPEC) for the 2026 Matriculation and Welcome Ceremony on Friday, September 18.

Photo 2: New Pelicans raise their hands during the formal proceedings of The UWI St. Augustine Campus’ 2026 Matriculation and Welcome Ceremony, marking their official entry into the University’s academic community.

​Photo 3: A ceremonial moment during the 2026 Matriculation and Welcome Ceremony, as Campus Principal Rose-Marie Belle Antoine and Guild Vice President Ryan Duncan take part in the Symbolic Candle Lighting, to mark the illumination and beginning of the students' academic journey.

​Photo 4: New Pelicans join The UWI St. Augustine Campus mascot, Peli, for a celebratory photo following the 2026 Matriculation and Welcome Ceremony at UWI SPEC.

​Photo 5: Top Matriculant Joshua Sampath, accompanied by Campus Registrar Dr. Dawn-Marie DeFour-Gill and Admissions Officer, Mr. Garth Jones, symbolically signs the Matriculation Register during The UWI St. Augustine Campus’ 2026 Matriculation and Welcome Ceremony, on behalf of the entire first-year cohort, symbolizing the student body's acceptance into the university.

About The University of the West Indies 

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has played a crucial role in Caribbean development for over 75 years, consistently contributing to the improvement of the well-being of people across the region. 

Established in 1948 as a university college of London in Jamaica, with just 33 medical students, UWI has grown into an internationally respected, global university with nearly 50,000 students. Today, it boasts five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda, and its Global Campus, along with international centres in partnership with universities across North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. 

The UWI offers over 1000 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the leading university in the Caribbean, it is home to the largest pool of intellect and expertise in the region, dedicated to addressing the critical issues facing both the Caribbean and the wider world. 

Validated by its inclusion in the Times Higher Education (THE) annual rankings since 2018, The UWI has affirmed its position as one of the top universities globally. It stands out as the only English-speaking institution in the Caribbean featured in four of THE's prestigious ranking lists. The World University Rankings evaluate over 2,000 research-focused universities worldwide, while the Golden Age University Rankings highlight institutions established between 50 and 80 years ago. The Latin America Rankings focus specifically on universities within Latin America and the Caribbean. Additionally, the Impact Rankings assess universities based on their contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

This recognition has also spring boarded the establishment of The UWI’s International School for Development Justice (ISDJ), a global online graduate business school aimed at preparing future leaders for sustainable development. 

The UWI is an SDG-engaged university consistently recognised among the best in the world. Discover more at www.uwi.edu. 

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